On Thursday, November 15 at the Simpson Intercultural Center (SIC), students and staff came together to discuss the recent presidential election at a Talkin’ Stories: After the Polls open conversation.
Attendees discussed concerns and solutions, and offered support to others as they considered what this transfer of power means for everyday life in Whatcom County. Staff and students discussed how to minimize hate speech, how to keep yourself and your community safe, and where to find support on and off campus.
Attendees at Syre 271 expressed distress about hateful rhetoric, and talked about how to stop it.
Mariam Mohd, a peer-navigator student suggested that students “start with yourself,” and not accept any hateful words.
One helpful strategy, said Associate Director Yusuke Okazaki, is acknowledging why hateful speech is being used, and recognizing that it’s not connected to reality or to any individual. Okazaki encouraged people to work to disrupt micro-aggressions and to not internalize hurtful language or other actions.
Jennfier Allen, a queer-identifying Instructional Support Specialist for WCC, discussed how this election was “profoundly personal,” and that she is “thinking much more about safety these days,” including on campus.
“The filter has come off,” Allen said regarding a recent confrontation in Seattle and the attack on a transgender high school student the other week in Bellingham.
Allen remains worried about undocumented students, and unnecessary hate becoming more intense as January approaches. “Because people can say what they want in this country,” Allen added, “hate speech is expected to happen.”
Staff also recommend prioritizing personal safety, finding small but practical things to do to ensure personal and community safety. One given example was carrying pepper spray or a keychain whistle.
Students were encouraged to stay informed, even if it’s scary, because “isolation doesn’t work.” It’s easy to get sucked into what various media sources are saying, but by checking sources and local news, and talking with somebody outside of the Internet, folks are more likely to get a balanced and realistic view of what is happening.
It was pointed out that Washington state provides many protections for its residents, and was the only state in the US during this election to lean more Democratic, as opposed to the other states, which either stayed the same or leaned more red.
But leaning on WA policy-makers will not support everyone. For real change and support, attendees felt that each person needs to ask themselves, “What can I do? Who am I, how can I help, and how can I get more involved?”
The final piece of emphasized advice was reaching out – to family, friends, WCC staff or instructions, or school counselors – for needed support.
WCC Counselors can be contacted by email at counseling@whatcom.edu, and by phone at 360-383-3139, at Laidlaw Room 134. A list of alternative resources that don’t include calling the police can be found at inclusivetherapists.com/crisis.
In the meantime, the main messages of this event seemed to be to keep on talkin’, but also prepare to support yourself and your communities with action in the coming months.
